ATF as Gear Lube

[bob larry]

talked with the oil reps and atf is not right for these dirt bike transmissions

Stewart, I am very curious about this.  Will you give more details?   thx

Ya please tell more!

[bob larry]

Rode four rides with ATF and changed it every two.  I just went back to Belray Gearsaver.  I didn't like the looks of the ATF when it came out of the 500 trannys.   See more super fine metal in the ATF where on any of my KX, KDX bikes I don't see hardly any with the Belray.
Same thing with two stroke oil.   People constantly switching brands.   Like the Redline two stroke oil by the gallon.    Haven't done any top ends in a long time.

Ya you can really see the red come out into the pan and the silver streak of metal like a skunk.
I change it so often I thought it was a better way to go....but now not sure.

[BDI]

the atf thing blows me away. If it needs to be changed every time you ride in order to keep it from screwing your bike up then that should tell you right there it not good for your bike, not to mention how wasteful it is. It would piss me off just because I was wearing out the drain plug hole.

[weymouth399]

It don't, it just has such good cleaning abilities you can see the wear of the aluminum plates (they are junk). when I switch to metal plates no more discoloration. you could ride for a long time, but it is so cheap just replace it often. I also clean my air filter sometimes when it don't quite need it yet just me
 

[BDI]

I never had any problem with the aluminum plates. I think it's far better to buy new plates rather then new clutch hubs. The silver stuff in the oil never bothered me none. I think it's fare more important what kind of oil you use in the tranny.

[bigbellybob]

i just read the whole thread agein.

Posted by: stewart 

i talked with the oil reps and atf is not right for these dirt bike transmissions

i would also like to know why?

i have ran the B&M full synthetic trick shift starting some time in 06. like i said earlier it was a big improvement in shifting and clutch action. this stuff is not red its more of a blue. it always comes out metallic grey. true i ride a KTM. KTM's have a magnetic drain plug. before the switch i always had some metal shavings on it every oil change. i have not got that with the B&M, the plug just has a grey metallic goop on it, but no shavings. i did not switch to save money. the synthetic trick shift cost more than what i was running (spectro golden 80w ). i switch because a 10 sec. drag car can get a extra session or two out of the trans just from running it over standard ATF.

[stu460]

i may be a jackass but i've run automotive WYNNS 75-90 syn gear oil in mine for 1 yr now w/ no problem.i'm a GM tech and have a couple cases and some told me they run gear oil and never had any trouble so i did and i like it.but after all this ATF talk i dont know what i should put in it never oil change 

How did your clutch pack work with such a heavy oil,i think half the reason the synthetics are popular is cause there of a light viscosity with not much drag,but i like the idea of a heavy oil for protection but clutch would feel unresponsive i imagine?

[Johnniespeed]

I have been using Dexron Three for four years now and it still works great, I now have a source for free BG synthetic ATF and  switched to that, I have seven gallons of free synthetic ATF.  I usually change it once a week costs me nothing, even the Dexron I got for free.  I am always carefull with the drain plug as I have heard of others stripping thiers. 
  I would like to know more about what the oil reps say about this topic.
 John

[streetsweeper]

Hi all,    I ride a 2001 k5. I quit using maxima mtl 80w,  and switched to walmart super tech atf type f . after a couple of oil changes with atf.  my k5 no longer gives me a hard time when going through the gears.  thanks everybody that recomended atf type f. A lower end split/case inspection gets pricey.


thanks for the helpfull tip

Ruben Chavez

[KRSX]

wow, time for a swap! Will run ATF F in the bike next year

[sandblaster]

This has been an interesting thread.
I have never tried ATF.
I have disassembled hundreds if not thousands of dirt bikes.
I have seen ATF to the newest synthetics and everything in between.
The bikes that come in that are clean and the air filters clean seem to be clean on the inside as well, regardless what is used as a lubricant.
The bikes that come in with caked on, baked on who knows what, with a air filter that looks like it was used as a chew toy for a pack of Rottweilers in a mud pit... typically they are very nasty on the inside.
True, the ATF bikes are very clean on the inside, usually a little cleaner than the more conventional lubed bikes.
Below is a pic of a YZ125 we were working on today that ATF was used in.
We haven't done any cleaning.
What you see is what it looks like immediately after the ATF was drained and the engine was disassembled.

The bike was true to form for a well maintained bike.
Yet, as far as gear wear.... I have seen no real difference between ATF and any other lube.
What seems to be the biggest factor to gear wear is the gear lube not being changed often enough.
The second thing we see is poor shifting habits.
So, what ever you use, change it often and pull your clutch lever all the way in, shift the bike in a positive manor, and then let your clutch out.
Your bike will live long and prosper 

[kxraptor]

We've tried ATF before,but have switched to a quality synthetic.The harder you work the clutch the more you'll need a quality lube.

[81cr450]

     I'm an atf fan all the way. As the pics above show disassemly is clean. I really can tell a difference on clutch feel. I will concede that the heavier oils are better for the gear as heavier = more load bearing ability.
     I do think that there is every bit as much metal/aluminum in a dark oil as in the atf you just cant see it as well becuase the oil is so dark.           I say get rid of the aluminum plates in any clutch as they're just a grenade with the pin pulled period.                                                                  The reason I switched to atf was 2 part, most auto manufacturers in late 80's early 90's switched to atf in their manual trans's. So you have this & the fact that the clutch is the same as an auto clutch pack.                    I'd really be curious to see the flow of comparison between the 2 as its all in motion if the lighter or heavier would reach the bearings better.     

[k5abuser]

Never use atf of any kind.  It will. Allow the gears to could them self to the shafts. Kawasaki says to use 30 at motor oil. If your motor is apart polish the channels. For the shift forks a.d the shift forks their eels and run slick 50 though.  Best to use old clutch while the slick 500 is in the bottomend.  The bike wil shift like never before.  Sometimes to easy. I've seen bikes with atf run in the bottomend and if it makes a lot of hp or is run hard all the time u will have proublem.

[martinfan30]

Never use atf of any kind.  It will. Allow the gears to could them self to the shafts. Kawasaki says to use 30 at motor oil. If your motor is apart polish the channels. For the shift forks a.d the shift forks their eels and run slick 50 though.  Best to use old clutch while the slick 500 is in the bottomend.  The bike wil shift like never before.  Sometimes to easy. I've seen bikes with atf run in the bottomend and if it makes a lot of hp or is run hard all the time u will have proublem.

DO what to the shift fork eels?